To many homeowners, building codes are arbitrary, confusing and expensive. I’ve found this to be especially true when it comes to dryer vent materials. However, codes exist to keep you safe and your dryer vent in proper working order, so it’s crucial to abide by them.
One of the biggest code offenders is the wrong kind of dryer venting material. I find that homeowners have improper materials not on purpose but because of a lack of knowledge on the subject. Let’s take a look at the codes related to dryer vent exhaust systems, or the part that goes from the back of your dryer to outside your home.
Safety first: Most building code requirements are safety related, and this is certainly true of dryer vent codes. Dryers cause 92 percent of all reported appliance fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. Ensuring a dryer vent is constructed of proper material is one important step in reducing the risk of a dryer-related fire.
Why exactly is it so important? Think about it this way: The inside of a dryer contains all three elements for a healthy fire.
1. Ignition source: The heating element within the machine
2. Oxygen: Continuous airflow in and out of the machine
3. Combustibles: Clothes to help catch and spread any sparks
How to avoid sparking a fire: Air must circulate regularly to cool the appliance. A dryer pulls in fresh air from the room, circulates it through the dryer, moves it into the dryer vent and then pushes the air outside the home. Proper vent materials create better airflow. The better the airflow, the slower the lint builds up inside the machine, which lowers the risk of sparking a fire.
Proper venting material: A code-compliant dryer vent is constructed of a rigid pipe of nonflammable material with a smooth interior finish. The smooth interior inhibits lint buildup in grooves, and it is not easily crushed or broken.
While building codes differ around the country, two code-compliant vent material options are solid aluminum pipe that is at least 0.4 millimeters thick or galvanized steel pipe. Of the two options, I prefer to use aluminum pipe as it does not rust.
Note: You should always check your local city building codes to make sure you are using compliant materials and installation methods for your dryer vent exhaust system.
Improper venting material: These are common venting materials that are non-code compliant, as determined by the guidelines of the International Residential Code and International Mechanical Code.
1. Foil: Foil is a non-code-compliant venting material because it is extremely flammable. Additionally, foil does not have a smooth interior finish. Rather, the material features grooves on the inside, which allows lint to accumulate and clog the vent, creating a fire hazard.
2. PVC: This material is not compliant with standards because the material itself is flammable. Additionally, a PVC pipe causes static electricity to form as the dryer circulates air to move lint outside. This static electricity attracts lint and creates an extra “glue” for the lint to attach to the inside of the vent line. Lint buildup provides additional flammable material.
3. Vinyl: Vinyl is also flammable and does not have a smooth interior finish. In addition, over time, vinyl will dry out and crack, which will compromise the vent line. The flimsy material puts the dryer vent at higher risk to be crushed, which will restrict airflow and cause lint buildup, creating a fire hazard.
Identifying code compliance: Although these materials are not code compliant and a fire hazard, I’ve come across them many times, as have other Dryer Vent Wizard technicians, when completing inspections. Identifying compliant versus noncompliant materials can be tricky because many of these materials look similar.
In addition to the type of material used, there are also specific regulations on the thickness of the pipe, the kind of tape used to connect joints, proper suspension of the line and other installation factors.
Find help, if needed: If you are unsure whether your dryer vent system is code compliant or you are looking to replace it, consult a local dryer vent installation or repair professional. He or she will know the local code requirements and can help you address any issues or concerns.
The goal is to ensure dryer vents are installed and functioning properly to help keep you, your family and your home safe.
Do you have any Dryer Vent issues or concerns?
Contact us by phone or through this online form, we will get back to you as soon as we can.
How does a Heat Pump Work?
Heat pumps are just two-way air conditioners. During the summer, an air conditioner works by moving heat from the relatively cool indoors to the relatively warm outside. In winter, the heat pump reverses this trick, scavenging heat from the cold outdoors with the help of an electrical system, and discharging that heat inside the house. Almost all heat pumps use forced warm-air delivery systems to move heated air throughout the house.
A ground-source heat pump heats and cools in any climate by exchanging heat with the ground, which has a more constant temperature.
There are two relatively common types of heat pumps. Air-source heat pumps use the outside air as the heat source in winter and heat sink in summer. Ground-source (also called geothermal, GeoExchange, or GX) heat pumps get their heat from underground, where temperatures are more constant year-round. Air-source heat pumps are far more common than ground-source heat pumps because they are cheaper and easier to install. Ground-source heat pumps, however, are much more efficient, and are frequently chosen by consumers who plan to remain in the same house for a long time, or have a strong desire to live more sustainably. How to determine whether a heat pump makes sense in your climate is discussed further under “Fuel Options.”
Whereas an air-source heat pump is installed much like a central air conditioner, ground-source heat pumps require that a “loop” be buried in the ground, usually in long, shallow (3–6′ deep) trenches or in one or more vertical boreholes. The particular method used will depend on the experience of the installer, the size of your lot, the subsoil, and the landscape. Alternatively, some systems draw in groundwater and pass it through the heat exchanger instead of using a refrigerant. The groundwater is then returned to the aquifer.
Because electricity in a heat pump is used to move heat rather than to generate it, the heat pump can deliver more energy than it consumes. The ratio of delivered heating energy to consumed energy is called the coefficient of performance, or COP, with typical values ranging from 1.5 to 3.5. This is a “steady-state” measure and not directly comparable to the heating season performance factor (HSPF), a seasonal measure mandated for rating the heating efficiency of air-source heat pumps. Converting between the measures is not straightforward, but ground-source units are generally more efficient than air-source heat pumps.
Most Fuel Efficient Heat Pumps
Currently the only ENERGY STAR rated heat pumps are geothermal.
These include:
American Standard Series, Bosch Greensource Series, Bryant Series, Carrier Series, Climate Master Series, EarthLinked Prime Series, GeoSmart Series, GeoStar Series, Hydro-Temp Star Series, Modine Series, Trane Series, Waterfurnace Series, and York Series.
Source: EnergyStar.gov
FOR ASSISTANCE, INSTALLATION, OR ORDERING, CONTACT US
[contact-form] ]]>One of the greatest benefits of this type of heating system is that it is divided into zones allowing you to heat different parts of your home while controlling the temperature with different thermostats. If you don’t often use your home office during winter months, you don’t have to waste energy by heating it. Since boilers do not circulate air, they are allergy-friendly because they do not move dust around your home unlike an air system.
Boilers are a very versatile heating option. They can be customized for a variety of different applications and functions. A boiler system can be very complex and requires proper design and installation along with regular maintenance.
How a Boiler Works
Boilers are special-purpose water heaters. While furnaces carry heat in warm air, boiler systems distribute the heat in hot water, which gives up heat as it passes through radiators or other devices in rooms throughout the house. The cooler water then returns to the boiler to be reheated. Hot water systems are often called hydronic systems. Residential boilers generally use natural gas or heating oil for fuel.
In steam boilers, which are much less common in homes today, the water is boiled and steam carries heat through the house, condensing to water in the radiators as it cools. Oil and natural gas are commonly used.
Instead of a fan and duct system, a boiler uses a pump to circulate hot water through pipes to radiators. Some hot water systems circulate water through plastic tubing in the floor, a system called radiant floor heating. Important boiler controls include thermostats, aquastats, and valves that regulate circulation and water temperature. Although the cost is not trivial, it is generally much easier to install “zone” thermostats and controls for individual rooms with a hydronic system than with forced air. Some controls are standard features in new boilers, while others can be added on to save energy.
As with furnaces, condensing gas-fired boilers are relatively common, and significantly more efficient than non-condensing boilers (unless very sophisticated controls are employed).
Most Fuel Efficient Boilers
An ENERGY STAR certified boiler, fuelled by gas uses 10% less energy, fuelled by oil uses 4% less energy, on average, than a standard model. Space heating represents 63% of your home energy use and offers the most potential for cutting your energy bill.
Source: Natural Resources of Canada
They include:
Bosch Grecnstar Series, Bradford White Brute Elite Series, Buderus Series, Burnham Series, Carrier BMW Performance Series, Dunkirk Series, ECR International Series, Energy Kinetics Series, Firebird Series, HTP Series, IBC Technologies Series, Kenmore Series, LAARS Series, Lennox Series, Lochinvar Series, Navien Series, NTI Series, Olsen Series, Peerless Series, Rinnai Series, Slant/Fin Series, Triangle Tube Series, Utica Series, Viessmann Series, Weil-McLain Series, and Westinghouse Series.
Source: EnergyStar.gov
FOR ASSISTANCE, INSTALL, OR ORDERING, CONTACT US.
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Recent regulations for furnaces are making them more energy efficient than ever. Furnaces are rated by annual fuel-utilization efficiency (AFUE). This is the minimum percentage of fuel that is consumed in the process of heating your home. The rest escapes through the flue. Gas furnaces made in the early 1970s may have AFUE ratings as low as 56 percent; modern furnaces have minimum ratings of 78 percent (for oil), and as high as 99 percent for gas. That means replacing an older furnace can make a significant dent in your fuel bill.
How a Furnace Works
Inside a gas- or oil-fired furnace, the fuel is mixed with air and burned. The flames heat a metal heat exchanger where the heat is transferred to air. Air is pushed through the heat exchanger by the “air handler’s” furnace fan and then forced through the ductwork downstream of the heat exchanger.
At the furnace, combustion products are vented out of the building through a flue pipe. Older “atmospheric” furnaces vented directly to the atmosphere, and wasted about 30% of the fuel energy just to keep the exhaust hot enough to safely rise through the chimney.
Current minimum-efficiency furnaces reduce this waste substantially by using an “inducer” fan to pull the exhaust gases through the heat exchanger and induce draft in the chimney. “Condensing” furnaces are designed to reclaim much of this escaping heat by cooling exhaust gases well below 60°C, where water vapor in the exhaust condenses into water. This is the primary feature of a high-efficiency furnace (or boiler). These typically vent through a sidewall with a plastic pipe.
Heating system controls regulate when the various components of the heating system turn on and off. The most important control from your standpoint is the thermostat, which turns the system — or at least the distribution system — on and off to keep you comfortable. A typical forced air system will have a single thermostat. But, there are other internal controls in a heating system, such as “high limit” switches that are part of an invisible but critical set of safety controls.
Furnace Buying Guide: We Help You!
What the best furnace has:
- The proper AFUE rating
- Two stage valves
- A programmable thermostat
- Sealed combustion
- A long warranty
What you should know know before you go:
- Should I repair or replace?
- Is my home energy efficient?
- Are you prepared to maintain your new furnace?
Most Fuel Efficient Furnaces
The best gas furnaces and boilers today have efficiencies over 90%
The efficiency of a fossil-fuel furnace or boiler is a measure of the amount of useful heat produced per unit of input energy (fuel). Combustion efficiency is the simplest measure; it is just the system’s efficiency while it is running.
Currently there are no Energy Star Rated Furnaces available in Canada.
For assistance, install, or ordering, contact us.
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Central Heat
Furnaces
The majority of Canadian households depend on a central furnace to provide heat.
How a Furnace Works
A furnace works by blowing heated air through ducts that deliver the warm air to rooms throughout the house via air registers or grills. This type of heating system is called “ducted warm-air or forced warm-air distribution system”. It can be powered by electricity, natural gas, or fuel oil… for more information “click here”.
Boilers
Boilers are special-purpose water heaters. While furnaces carry heat in warm air, boiler systems distribute the heat in hot water, which gives up heat as it passes through radiators or other devices in rooms throughout the house. Instead of a fan and duct system, a boiler uses a pump to circulate hot water through pipes to radiators…. for more information on boilers “click here”.
Heat Pump
Heat pumps are just two-way air conditioners. In the winter, the heat pump finds heat from the cold outdoors with the help of an electrical system, and discharging that heat inside the house.
How a Heat Pump Works
There are two relatively common types of heat pumps. Air-source heat pumps use outside air as the heat source in winter and heat sink in summer. Ground-source (also called geothermal) heat pumps get their heat from underground, where temperatures are more constant year-round… for more information “click here”.
Direct Heat
Fireplaces
A staple in Canadian homes which offers itself as an architectural peace, a warm glow, and provides useful heat. For more information “click here”.
Wood-Burning or Pellet Stoves
A great idea for rural areas if you enjoy stacking wood and maintaining the stove or furnace. Wood prices are generally lower than gas, oil. or electricity. Newer models are quite clean-burning. For more information “click here”.
Radiant Floor Heat
A system that circulates warm water in piping under the floor. This warms the floor, which in turn warms people using the room. It is highly controllable, and considered efficient by its advocates. For more information “click here”.
Space Heaters
Gas-Fired Space Heaters, which includes wall-mounted, free-standing, and floor furnaces, all characterized by their lack of outwork and relatively small heat output.
Electric Space Heaters, which include a portable (plug-in) heater that are inexpensive to buy, but costly to use. They include “oil-filled” and “quartz-infrared” heaters. For more information “click here”.